Ableton has officially released Live 12, the latest update to its popular DAW

• https://www.ableton.com/en/live/

Whats New

• UI Improvements
  • Improved layout
  • Filter based on tags in Live’s Browser
• Improved Workflow
• New Devices
  • Meld (Synth)
  • Granulator III (Sampler)
  • Roar (Saturation Effect)
• New MIDI Tools
  • Reshape MIDI patterns
  • Generate new ideas
  • Join, split & chop notes
  • Stay in key across devices
• Additional Features
  • Uncover new textures
  • Performance Pack
  • Lost and Found

Pricing

• Live 12 Intro - £69
  • Essentials – 16 tracks and 5+ GB of sounds
• Live 12 Standard - £259
  • Full features – 38+ GB of sounds and more instruments and effects
• Live 12 Suite - £539
  • Complete studio – 71+ GB of sounds, Max for Live and all instruments and effects

YouTube

Pigments 5 is the latest edition of Arturia’s flagship modern software synth with the power to create any sound, from the best mix-ready presets to deep custom sound design. The 5th edition brings more ways than ever to design, sculpt, modulate and arpeggiate your sound. 

Full Details

• https://www.arturia.com/products/software-instruments/pigments/overview

Videos

• https://samplesfrommars.com/products/all-products-from-mars

As of Jan 2024 there is an amazing 97% discount for their entire collection!

• Sale price: $49 (worth $2,067)

I've just purchased this, if you want to see the rest of my music production hardware & software collection I've started collating it here, I need to stop and just finish a track !

• https://jamesm.blog/music-production/my-hardware-software/

Huge thanks to John Selway from 343 Labs (awesome channel) for making me aware of this library (& the discount) during one of his weekly livestreams a while back (I only just found it ...

YouTube Videos

• https://www.steinberg.net/promotion/

V Collection 9

33 incredible keyboards & synthesizers, over 9000 inspiring sounds, united in a single collection for an exclusive limited-time price.

• £257.00 (£515.00)

Pigments

Pigments is a softsynth VST with the power to create any sound, from the best mix-ready modern presets to deep custom sound design. Explore every shade of synthesis and make your wildest sonic fantasy a full-color reality, whatever your style.

• £85.00 (£171.00)

All you have to do is to put the plugin in your shopping cart and proceed to checkout to buy it for €/$/£0 (yes, also, in other currencies, it's still zero).

MDynamicEq, the little brother of MAutoDynamicEq, is an unbelievably transparent and musical-sounding equalizer with a gorgeous interface stuffed with amazing features. It pushes the technology forward by introducing dynamic processing!

https://www.meldaproduction.com/MDynamicEq

• Price: £1,899.00
• Full details: https://www.korg.co.uk/products/opsix-se

Opsix SE Platinum

A limited edition model celebrating the arrival of the Opsix SE, the Platinum version features a stunning silver aluminium body with stainless steel ends

• Price: £2,099.00
• Full details: https://www.korg.co.uk/products/opsix-se

Videos

New deals every day! During the Summer of Sound Calendar Sale, you'll receive individual codes for ALL of our time limited offers. Please use codes during checkout to knock down the prices!

Links

• https://www.plugin-alliance.com/en/products.html

Get 50% off all KOMPLETE 14 upgrades, step up to the latest instruments and effects, or save on a range of expansions

• 50% off Komplete 14 upgrades
• 50% off Traktor Pro 3 updates
• 50% off Instrument & effect upgrades
• 50% off iZotope

All offers end on 6th July 2023

See the full details here;

• https://www.native-instruments.com/en/catalog/summer-of-sound-2023/komplete-bundles/

• Full Details

Pricing

These bundles save you anywhere between £5,000 - £14,000 !

• KOMPLETE 13 SELECT - 12 instruments, 4 effects, 5 Expansions - £169 (upgrade £89)
• KOMPLETE 13 - 52 instruments, 16 effects, 24 Expansions - £499 (update £169)
• KOMPLETE 13 ULTIMATE - 92 instruments, 26 effects, 39 Expansions - £999.00 (update £339)
• KOMPLETE 13 ULTIMATE COLLECTOR’S EDITION - 96 instruments, 26 effects, 73 Expansions - £1,349.00 (update £419)

Note: Native Instruments typically hold Christmas & Summer sales at 50% off

My Gear

I personally have the Ultimate version - it's easily the best software I've bought music-wise.

To accompany this I also have NI's Maschine MK3 & Komplete Kontrol - really well built / good quality hardware

MASCHINE+ is a sampler, a drum machine, a synth, and an on-stage superpower. In short, it’s whatever you make it. Leave the laptop behind, jam with your other gear, and create beats in minutes with a wealth of on-board sounds, instruments, and effects.

It’s the iconic MASCHINE workflow, with fewer strings attached.

Web Site: https://www.native-instruments.com/en/products/maschine/production-systems/maschine-plus/

• Produce and perform with over 2,000 studio-quality sounds – for free
• 16 pro-grade synths and sampled instruments, plus effects, loops, and samples
• Browse, preview, and play it all in your recording software with KOMPLETE KONTROL

Introducing Komplete Start

On-Line

• Ask Video (e.g. Ableton Live - The Art of Drum Programming)
• Groove 3
• Mac Pro Video
• Masterclass
  • Armin Van Buuren - Dance Music
  • Deadmau5 - Electronic Music Production

Classroom

• Point Blank Music School

There are loads more - will compile a full list ...

• Apple Macbook Air (2020) 13.3", M1, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD, Space Grey
• Dell Alienware M17 Laptop
• KRK Rokit 5 Monitors (White) (awesome)
• Native Instruments
  • Komplete Audio 6 (awesome, although I have previous model)
  • Maschine MK3 (unbelievably awesome)
• Novation LaunchKey 61
• Yamaha Motif ES-8 (best weighted keyboard I've ever had)

Current Software

• Native Instruments Komplete Ultimate 14  (unbelievably awesome)
• Ableton Live 10 Lite / Intro (awesome - will definitely upgrade to either Standard or Suite soon ...)
• Steinberg Cubase Elements 10
• FL Studio 20 (Note: lifetime upgrades for free !)
• FL Studio Mobile
• Plugins & VSTs
  • Korg Collection
  • Lennar Digital Sylenth 1 (awesome - all you will ever need, a must for everyone)
  • Serum  (awesome - just haven't managed to play much with it yet)
    • Note: Rent to buy option on Splice (I've just paid it off - ALL software companies (not just Music) should be dong this - makes stuff super-affordable !)
  • IK Multimedia Sampletank
• Sound Libraries
  • Sounds of kshmr volumes 1 & 2 (awesome)

Wish List !

• Ableton Push (maybe, not really necessary for me as have NI Maschine)
• LFO Tool (apparently an absolute must, used by all the top producers)
• Native Instruments Komplete Kontrol S88
  • Will replace my Motif ES-8 however very reluctant to sell that - might need the space ...)

Past Hardware (either sold or given away 😢)

• Casio MT-820 (first keyboard I had, Christmas present - need to double-check model number)
• Casio CZ-101
• Commodore Amiga (500, 1500 & 2000 + external MIDI interface)
• Korg ElecTribe ER-1
• Edirol SD90 Studio Sound Canvas
• Yamaha SY85 (wish I hadn't sold it - needed the space)
• Roland R8 Human Rhythm Composer

Links

• My personal blog: https://jamesm.blog/music-production/my-hardware-software/